Circus Circus hate is fine - it is a dive - but don't let it put you off going to the steakhouse there - went in March with 3 mates and it was absolutely superb. Not cheap, but not stupid-Vegas-expensive either.

IIRC it was recommended by Simon - so a very belated thanks for that .

Just looked up flights for next March - miles+money in the sale is giving me prices as low at £543, we paid £630 last March. Chance of getting another trip past the wife so soon - slim.

I looked into this 3/4 years ago when we were selling our last house. Like you say, the plot is the most difficult bit, and one we never sorted. Even then, land seemed hideously expensive compared to rapidly falling house prices at the time.

If you can, get yourself to a self-build show - I went to one held at the NEC and it was an absolute goldmine of useful stuff. Lots of vendors, obviously, but some useful talks and presentations as well.

Just had a google, it was one of these : http://www.homebuildingshow.co.uk/

We didn't end up doing it, although we did end up buying a house that was self built by the previous owner. I've come to the conclusion that a good (and nicely unique) design is far far more important than all the funky bits you can stick in that a developer normally wouldn't.

How far have you got? I've got a few books still on my shelves that might be useful if you've not got research material yet.

If you're looking for an architect, the husband of our office admin is local, works for himself, is well regarded and a nice bloke. http://www.johnmorrisarchitects.co.uk/index.html

New Only Connect tomorrow (Monday) BBC4 8.30pm. I for one am looking forward to having a deep brain massage from the delectable Ms Coren.

I was told its not allowed, never seen more that 1x in the UK, I could be wrong but I don't think so.

Pretty sure a friend told a friend who told me that The Vic is 3x4x5x......

Deffo wasn't last time I was there, it was them that told me the rule because I was whinging about it. That was anout year ago though, so could have changed.

In their interest to say that 1x odds is the max allowed, when it's just a house rule.

Not that I'm casting nasturtiums. The Opinions Expressed Are Not Necessarily Those of The Management. etc etc.

Now up to 4 roulette tables, 4 BJ tables (although only 2 each are in regular use unless it's very busy). There are 10 single-game video slots (in 2 groups of 5), then now another 5 new style multi-game video slots. £4k jackpots on the original slots, think the same on the new ones but not sure. 1p - £2 per spin on old, new not sure (not played them). They also still have the automated roulette with machines dotted around and the wheel in the bar area, although you rarely see people on them since the new tables went in.

Personally would LOVE to see a craps table . I reckon a UK craps table would draw people in far and wide, given it's almost impossible to find over here.

UK craps rules are CRAP though.

How so? I've never played in the UK so wouldn't know. Only info I can find is here (last 2 pages):
http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/pdf/Rules%20of%20core%20casino%20games%20in%20Great%20Britain%20-%20June%202011.pdf
Seem to be pretty standard, in fact better odds than some Vegas casinos I've played in. What am I missing?

You can only double your pass line bet when the point is established, no more.

Is that not house choice like in the US? There is nothing in the GC rules about odds. No reason why can't make it 3x4x5x or even 100x, shirley?

Now up to 4 roulette tables, 4 BJ tables (although only 2 each are in regular use unless it's very busy). There are 10 single-game video slots (in 2 groups of 5), then now another 5 new style multi-game video slots. £4k jackpots on the original slots, think the same on the new ones but not sure. 1p - £2 per spin on old, new not sure (not played them). They also still have the automated roulette with machines dotted around and the wheel in the bar area, although you rarely see people on them since the new tables went in.

Personally would LOVE to see a craps table . I reckon a UK craps table would draw people in far and wide, given it's almost impossible to find over here.

UK craps rules are CRAP though.

How so? I've never played in the UK so wouldn't know. Only info I can find is here (last 2 pages):
http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/pdf/Rules%20of%20core%20casino%20games%20in%20Great%20Britain%20-%20June%202011.pdf
Seem to be pretty standard, in fact better odds than some Vegas casinos I've played in. What am I missing?

Now up to 4 roulette tables, 4 BJ tables (although only 2 each are in regular use unless it's very busy). There are 10 single-game video slots (in 2 groups of 5), then now another 5 new style multi-game video slots. £4k jackpots on the original slots, think the same on the new ones but not sure. 1p - £2 per spin on old, new not sure (not played them). They also still have the automated roulette with machines dotted around and the wheel in the bar area, although you rarely see people on them since the new tables went in.

Personally would LOVE to see a craps table . I reckon a UK craps table would draw people in far and wide, given it's almost impossible to find over here.

Rex wins. Sigh at not making it last a bit longer. Pocohantas is the answer I have, for the reasons you gave.

I didn't get no 3?

Sorry, should have waited I guess .

Things from my company magazine:

1. Which Disney movie is the misfit?

Hercules
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
The Jungle Book
The Aristocats
Pocahontas
Peter Pan
The Little Mermaid
Bambi

2.
If you like pretty gems that sparkle and shine,
I invite you to dig in my virtual mine.
My first is purple, fit for a king,
My second is green where Dorothy did her thing.
My third is red, July's birthstone as well,
My fourth is seen in strings and is found inside a shell.
My fifth is hard, pure Carbon and expensive to buy,
My sixth is Crocidolite, striped like the big cat's eye.
Seventh is two words, a man-made fake of April's stone,
Eighth is very dark and found at Lightning Ridge alone.
Now take from each gem, one letter in its turn,
And you will find the stuff for which even the gods yearn.

3. Assuming you can't steal an animal's sense of hearing, or use an electrical device, what would you need in order to hear a pin drop from over 20 yards?

Not a fan of the answer for no 3, but meh.

Hmm, no 2 must be Ambrosia, given the final clue and getting some of the gems.
1 could be a couple of things - Pocahontas is the only one based on a true story as opposed to a fairy tale. Lion King is the only one which has no humans in it at any point (I think).

29k isn't near average wage either.

I'm curious. Without Googling, what do you think the average UK salary is?

Mean or median?

The ONS published number is usually median (50th percentile). Obviously it's a very skewed graph with a long tail, so median makes more sense. Headline published median full-time salary, latest data available is for 2011.

Still waiting to hear from BITB, just curious how out of touch a Gibraltar-based poker pro gets. Not even sure whether he thinks 29k is too high or too low...?

29k isn't near average wage either.

I'm curious. Without Googling, what do you think the average UK salary is?

Geocaching app is good for the out and about, nice work

c:geo is the best geocaching app I've found, but mainly because its free! I think they lost the live mapping after one update, but it's back again and works fine.

Edit, I may as well add some other apps I've found good, now I'm up to my 4th Android device:

Games:
Alchemy
Cut the rope
Jewels
Robotek
Stupid Zombies
Tower Raiders 2

Useful:
Catch (note taking app)
Amazon Kindle (not been mentioned yet?)
Business Calendar Free (excellent calendaring app with good variety of widgets)
Dropbox (cloud storage)
eBay (I use the official app, does the job)
Fancy Widgets (good customisable replacement for the front screen clock/weather widget)
RealCalc (for those who can't do without a scientific calculator)
Sky+ (remote recording on your home sky box)

Fantastic.

There's a chap somewhere on YouTube who performs al the songs from street fighter to an intent - if slightly confused - audience.

Pythagoras has a close connection to chords. Legend tells of him passing a blacksmith and hearing the harmonic sounds of various bits of metal being hit. He did some experiments at home and discovered that there were neat ratios between the notes that made the best harmonies (as in the length of the string).

Turns out that the best harmonies are the simpler fractions.

Now of course we know it's the wavelength that matters, but it is a truly incredible thing to think how these seemingly unrelated phenomena are so intertwined

The mathematics of music is fascinating. There is a chapter about it in a book I recently read. A perfect Pythagorean scale can only be played in one key - any instruments using it can only ever use one key and either need retuning, or replacing, to play music in a different key (which was apparently common up until 300 or so years ago). Then the 12 semi-tone scale was created (The Tempered Scale) where a Pythagorean scale was slightly messed about with, enabling instruments to be created that could play any key without retuning. So a piano scale for instance does not have perfect musical intervals between each note. Apparently if you tune a piano to a perfect Pythagorean scale in C major, most people who have grown up with Western music think its out of tune, even though musically it should sound perfectly harmonic.

Rex
Science Correspondent (Freelance, out of retirement)

Oh, and love the video, superb skills. A friend of mine at uni could do the same thing, played the Oboe as his primary instrument, but was an incredible pianist as well.

If you wanted to shoot animals with an airgun, even without a ban, you would need the landowners permission,and of course hunting with any sort of bow is illegal.

Oh I know - got permissions, gave up the gun a few years back only to rekindle interest. Bow hunting is illegal - due to an MP sleeping in, ridiculously his doing so is not reversible without a redrafting of the law & no-one's willing to take on the anti-hunting lobby to get it reinstated. Hunting with a catapult is still legal though.

Although I have a mate with the deerstalking rights to a few square miles & his own range (a long clearing in a forestry wood), for the price of some ammo I'm sure I could get some shooting in & if I'm a good enough shot still some venison for the freezer....

You could always print your own rifle. Ok, something of a simplification, and only works in a country where M16 parts are readily available, but  anyway.

[she went home from work today crying after seeing another one of your post]

Okay Mr Black. I have asked DTD reception to put a note on the system to have a chat with me when you next come to DTD, you can air your frustrations to me personally instead of on this forum. In terms of Nicola, I suggest your chances of getting past Sinclair will be higher if you leave a box of chocolates for her at reception, she went home from work today crying after seeing another one of your posts, I think its 50:50 whether she comes back to work tomorrow, I think her previous boss at Hooters has offered her her old job back Cheers Rob

Was it one of his hand histories in his diary?

Needs more love. I LOL'd.